St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-16

Those who knew Us gave us credit for our
entire honesty of conviction, but reckoned us
credulous. For while we did not hesitate to
say that it was the conduct of the prisoner
that had satisfied US, we did not care, for fear
of derision, to speak of that conduct with
particularity.
! From the moment that he found that we
two believed him innocent Doty became
quite resigned and almost cheerful: though
not for an instant did he expect anything
less than life sentence, even if he should be
tried at all, which now appeared doubtful, as
threats Of mob violence became so loud and
ominous that heavy guard was kept about
the jail day and night. The court was sit
ting, and on the fourth day from that of the
tragedy the grand jury returned an indict-
ment against the prisoner for murder in the
first degree and the trial was fixed for the
following week.
My anxiety amounted to agonv
Satisfied of my clients innocence, yet I
saw no possible way of escape. Nor did
Blake suffer less.
I feared a continuance, lest the mob should
take matter3in hand, despite guards; for it
was an era of blood and violence, and it was
openly said that the forbearance of the law
less was conditioned upon a speedy trial and
CONNECTION.
In my despair 1 called to my aid an old
and very able criminal lawyer-a Mr.. Good
win.
After hearing the evidence as fully as it
was then in yle possession of Blake and my
self (for Blake was at every consultation), he
shook his head gravely. He, too, as we
plainly saw, believed the prisoner guilty.
Blake and finally, though with much re-
luctance, determined to tell him of the pris-
oners solemn appeal. l recited the incident
as mpressively as could and at the end had
the satisfaction Of seeing on Mr.. Goodwin's
face something like look of compassion and
of understanding that the compassion was
felt for myself, not for my client.
Still my faith was not shaken. l said to
myself: II have simply failed to convey any
proper idea Of the awful, solemn scene"
why trouble yourself about the matter of
guilt or innocence ?" questioned my learned
associate. "Mr. Doty is entitled to fair and
impartial trial and to every honest endeavor
we can make in his behalf, guilty or inno-
cent. We are not his judges only his counsel
and advocates" he went on.
Really, Mr. Goodwin" I cried, in my in
experience, II could not find it in my heart
to defend this man if knew him guilty of
this cowardly murder
"Ah, if you knem him guilty!' he answered
with suggestive emphasis.
The day of trial came quickly, and the
only persons who believed in Doty's limo
cence, Blake and myself, were prepared to
bring forward one single exculpatory fact,
only, in his behalf: his left hand was Grip
pied in such wise as to render it improbable
that he could have struck the fatal blow with
it. On the other hand, the prosecution had
woven about him what appeared an invul-
nerable network of circumstances, chief
among which, and enough, standing alone,
was the unique footprint, perfectly modelled
by the skillful hand of, after his counsel, his
one friend.
The jury, twelve sturdy yeomen, gathered,
by special uenire, from all quarters of the
county, distant from the vicinage of the
tragedy, were in the box each having sworn
that he knew nothing of the case and that he
had no conscientious scruples against infjcting
the death penalty for murder qualification
growing, | am happy to record, more and
more rare as the years roll by.
Doty sat with his chin on his breast,
evincing that stold hopelessness always
prejudicial in the eyes of the average OBJ
server, but which have often seen in per-
fectly innocent men.
TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.